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6/12/2009

Happy 40th Birthday Mathieu!

Yup, today is the big day. The big 4-0.

I had planned to do a big birthday extravaganza, but my mind has been elsewhere lately and I just ran out of time. But for many years, I had done cool birthday specials, so I invite you to look back at those. I worked hard on them, so they might as well get a second life: http://www.geocities.com/schtimpy27/june12.html

There was one, though, that I thought I could update and re-present. It was the one I did for his 32nd birthday comparing the cost of common items in the year of his birth and "today" (which was June 12, 2001). It was cool to see how much has changed in the 8 years since.

Item

1969

2001

2009

Bath towel

$3.88

$4.99

$4.99

Diapers

$2.57

$11.99

$18.99

Electric Washing Machine

$259.95

$319.00

$628.99

Fruit of the Loom cotton briefs (package of 3)

$2.65

$4.79

$4.55

Apples (fresh, per pound)

$0.26

$0.95

$1.99

Beef steaks (per pound)

$1.45

$1.99

$4.99

Butter (per pound)

$0.87

$4.00

$4.00

Cheese (per 8 ounces)

$0.42

$1.28

$3.49

Chicken (per pound)

$0.47

$2.99

$2.99

Coffee (per pound)

$0.74

$4.80

$5.50

Eggs (per dozen)

$0.67

$1.99

2.49

Milk (fresh, per quart)

$0.33

$1.00

$1.79

Gasoline (per gallon)

$0.35

$1.75

$2.62*

1st Class Postage Stamp (each)

$0.06

$0.34

$0.44

*$2.62 is the nation average, but the Chevron station down the street from me this morning showed $3.01 for regular.

As I pointed out in the first edition, prices obviously can not be directly compared between past and present because of inflation and all that other economic mumbo jumbo. Also, some of the language of the original was a little odd and I wasn't sure how to replicate it. Like "chicken per pound." Is that a whole chicken, chicken breast, chicken drumsticks? (I went with whole chicken this time) And "coffee per pound." Was that ground or bean? (I assumed ground this time, and that made a difference of almost $10!) And "cheese." Um... what kind of cheese? The processed stuff, or gouda? (I used the price for "Sonoma Jack 8 oz wedge from Lunardi's; I have no idea what kind of cheese that is)

Anyway, the prices were taken from the daily mailers I had sitting around (from Target, Safeway, Lunardi's, and Rite Aid). Not sure how reflective the prices are of reality everywhere, but hey, it was fun...